Knitting machine and method of operating same



KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Jufiy 26, 2938.

Filed April 20, 1937 10 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ARTHUR PASS BY HIS ATTORNEYS July 26, 1938. A. PAss KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed April 20, 1937 10 Sheefis -Sheet S R R 0 0 T T NRT w mm RH A Y B July 26, 1938. A PASS 2,125,197

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed April 20, 1937 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aff A76 INVENTOR f ARTHUR PASS Q a: N N \g BY HIS ATTORNEYS q. N Q Q Q 8Q Q Jy 2, was. A, PASS KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed April 20, 1937 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 $9 N%\\ am T NQI NW -W N r? QBM W|-\ W. E 95 m5 f N mw mq fmi ARTHUR PAS S BY HIS ATTORNEYS July 26, 1938. I PASS 2,125,197

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed April 20, 1937 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 [mm m |||||||m u ll lllllllllll INVENTOR ARTHUR PASS BY HIS ATTORNEYS l A A. PASS 2,125,197

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME July 26, 1938.

Filed April 20, 1937 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 N RM m n EW wmm l Y 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 /07 i /0/03' A me I I V /0/ 32 Q- /0b 30 W llllllllllll /09 7 3 28 34 z". y 29 Q //4 //J' 33 INVENTOR ARTHUR PASS BY HIS ATTORNEYS A. PASS July 26,1938.

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed April 20, 1957 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR ARTHUR PASS BY HIS ATTORNEYS Jul 26, 1938. A. PASS KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed April 20, 1937 10 Sheets-Sheet l0 Patented July 26, 1938 PATENT OFFICE KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OP- ERATING SAME Arthur Pass; Glen Iris, Victoria, Australia, assignor to Scott & Williams, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Massachuset's Application April 20, 1937, Serial No. 138,030 In Australia April 21, 1936 16 Claims.

' This invention relates to knitting machines which are adapted to produce, inter alia, flat fabric which is fashioned to any desired formation. More particularly, the invention concerns the circular type of knitting machine which includes a needle cylinder, one or more banks of needles and relatively movable cams associated with said needles, said machine being adapted to produce hosiery blanks or other articles having areas fashioned in accordance with requirements.

In known types of straight or flat knitting machines which are capable of producing full fashioned hosiery in the fiat, the machine is adapted to form a panel which is located adjacent to the central seam at the back of the stocking, said seam being formed after the knitting operations have been completed. In this instance, the fashioning operation is effected by automatically decreasing at the selvage edge or edges the'number of needles .employed, and also doublingv by means of stitch transfer mechanism one or more stitches at a relatively short .distance from the selvage edge at that section of the hose which is being fashioned.

Hitherto, circular knitting machines of a known type'have been adapted to produce a certain type of full fashioned hosiery, and, for this purpose, a, portion of the knitting mechanism of the machine, such as the needle cams, was adapted to oscillate whilst the whole of the hose was being knitted with the exception of that section or sections knitted on the full number of needles, in which case the machine was adapted to perform a full rotary knitting operation giving a tubular fabric. The section of the hosiery to be fashioned was formed by causing the needle cams, for instance, to oscillate temporarily, whereby this particular section of the hosiery was knitted in the "fiat, the number of needles employed being increased until the maximum diameter of the hosiery had been reached, whereupon the rotary knitting operationswere resumed to complete the hosiery.

The aforesaid type of circular knitting machine has not proved to be satisfactory in practice for fashioning purposes, in that the osciL- lating movements of a portion of the knitting mechanism retard the speed bf the machine and thus decrease its output. Furthermore, it is not possible on such a machine to produce ordinary full fashioned hosiery, namely, hosiery including a panel as aforesaid, for the reason that this circular type 0'1 knitting machine functions to add one or more needles at the selvage edge on each change in width, thus producing a; fabric in which the wales converge into the selvage and a panel as aforesaid is not produced. On .the other hand, the straight or flat type of knitting machine which is adapted to produce ordinary full fashioned hosiery as aforesaid normally operates at a relatively slow speed so that these machines are not only expensive as regards their initial cost but have a relatively low output which ,seriously affects the cost of the finished product. In addition, it is well known that the latter type of machine is of such a nature that it is usually necessary to maintain a constant temperature and humidity in the room in which the machine is operating and, in having to work in such a temperature, the general health of the operatives is frequently impaired. Circular machines are not subject to these handicaps.

It has also been known to knit two blanks in a rotary manner 'while reciprocating a sep- The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved circular knitting machine of the type referred to which is adapted to produce fashioned fabric such as full fashioned hosiery having a. panel as aforesaid, the entire fabric being knit whilst the knitting elements of the machine are being operated in a rotary direction, thus eliminating the undesirable oscillating movement of the camming elements and considerably increasing the effective speed of the machine. The improved circular machine is adapted to produce full fashioned hosiery which is substantially identical with'hosiery produced by the aforesaid flat or straight type of machine, the improved machine being adapted to transfer stitches during the'formation of the panel and other fashioned areas of the stocking and to decrease the number of needles employed at these .zones in a manner similar to the functioning of the flat machine.

The initial cost of the improved circular machine is conslderably less than the cost of the flat or straight type of machine, as aforesaid, whilst in addition the improved machine is of simpler construction and is adapted to operate at a much greater knitting speed than the aforesaid known types of circular or flat machines, thus considerably increasing the rate and consequently lowering the cost of production.

. Various other objects and features of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description which refers, way of example, to one practical embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment the needles are independent latch needles and the needle cylinder is stationary but it should be understood that the invention is not confined to this type of machine. The invention is applicable to latch needles or bearded needles, independent or united.

In the drawings... Fig. 1 is a front view in elevation of the head and bedplate of a circular machine constructed in accordance with my invention, some, of the parts being omitted for clarity;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the head of the machine taken just below the means for tipping the combs, showing the mechanism for shogging 'thecombs and moving them vertically, and the mechanism for retiring the sinkers prior to transfer;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine taken just above the upper bedplate on line 3-=3 of Fig. 4, showing the upperv cam block, the narrowing jaws and the fashioning cams;

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation from the rear of the machine, showing the racks and pawls for. shogging the jaws and combs;

5 is a condensed view in sectional elevation through the top'of the needle cylinder, showing the yarn carriers and. sinkers and their control and driving means, taken on the line: 5-5 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 6 is a condensed plan view corresponding to Fig. 5, showing the yarn carriers and associated arts; D Fig; 7 is a vertical section through a cam block;

Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of the outer end of a cam block;

Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of the saddle controlling vertical movement of a jaw unit;

Fig. 10 is a vertical view, partly in section, of

the mounting of a comb, taken on the lines ill-I0 of Fig. 12 and iii-l0 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 11 is a view in elevation looking radially inwardat the machine, taken on the line ll-ll of Fig. 10, showing the comb and ,how it is mounted; i l i Fig. 12 is a plan view from the top of the ma- A chine showing the bracket joining'the upper ends of the bedplate posts and some of the mechanism for moving the narrowing points radially;

Fig. 13 is a view in eievation from the right side of the machine, and Fig. 15 a plan view, of the unitary can-1 means controlling the rotary knitting clutch and the reciprocatory yarn finger clutch;

Fig. 14 is a detail view in side elevation of the vFig. 19 a cam to give radial movement to a jaw vunit; Fig. 20 a cam to give vertical movement to a jaw unit; Fig. 21 a cam to give vertical movementto a comb; Fig. 22 a cam to shog a jaw unit circumferentially; Fig. 23 a cam to cause withdrawa-l of the sinkers during transfer; and Fig.

24 a cam to shog a comb cireumferentially;

Fig. 25 is a. view in vertical section through the means for shogging the combs, taken on the line 25-25 of 2;

Figs. 26 to 35 are diagrammatic illustrations of the manipulations of the jaws, needles and combs at various stages in. the narrowing process to produce the panel;

Fig. 26 shows in solid lines the retracted or idle position of a jaw unit IDOL, and in dotted lines, the position of the jaw unit in engagement with the needle jacks preparatory to beginning transfer of loops;

Fig. 27 is a view similar to Fig. 26 showing the needles raised to a. clearing level and the points lowered suiiiciently to engage the needle hooks;

Fig. 28 is a face view of a needle, needle loop and point showing their relation when in the position of Fig. 27; I

Fig. 29 is a view similar to Figs. 26 and 2'! showing the needles down momentarily out of action with the stitches on the points 'and the latter swung radially out of the path of the needles; I

Fig. 30 is a view showing the upper part of Fig.

29 with the points raised a little from their position of Fig. 29 to clear the sinkers and the points about ready to be shogged;

Fig. 31 is a planviewer the upper and lower jaws of a jaw unit lllllL after being shogged to the right two needles while still in the down position of Fig. 29;

Fig. 32 is a detail view in elevation of the relation of the jack butts to the jaws and lug on the upper jaw while in the position of Fig. 31;

Fig. 33'is a view similar to Figs. 26, 27 and 29,,

showing the new selection of needles raised to an intermediate level preparatory to receiving the transfer loops, the dotted position showing the points when swung back against the needles to return the loops to the needles;

Fig. 34 is a detail of the upper part of Fig. 33

showing the points and needles moved further together vertically than in the position in Fig. 33 with the loops on the needles;

Fig. 35 is a detail in radial elevation similar t( Fig. 28, of a needle and point, showing the post tion of the loop as the needle and point start ti separate; while Fig. 36 is adiagrammatic view in elevation of the gears driving the cam blocks carrying the rings.

The improved knitting machine has a. main bedplate 25 supported upon amain frame 25.

Mounted upon this bedplate is a main drive shaft 21 adapted to be driven from any convenient source of power by pulleys 28, 29. To drive the machine this main shaft 21 can be connected to a train of gears 3D, 35, 32 or any other suitable transmission mechanism. The driven gear 32 is mounted loosely on a counter-shaft 33 and there is a clutch face 34 on one side of the gear. Adapted to engage this clutch face a slide 35 also having a clutch face but keyed on the countershaft 33, these two ciutch faces forming the main clutch unit. When the face and slide are in engagement the countershaft revolves with the main shaft. The countershaft extends inwardly to a point below a stationaryneedle cylinder 36 on the main bedplate. The countershaft drives a revolving lower cam block 4| by means of a main bevel gear 31 meshing into a horizontal bevel gear 38 resting on the bedplate and a spur gear ring 39 fastened on the upper face of the Cil bevel gear. The cam block 4| is mounted on a sectional carrier plate 40L screwed on top of the spur gear ring. The block is free to slide radially on the plate. Extending upwardly from the main bedplate are posts 42. A short distance above the main bedplate on these'posts is an upper bedplate'48 carrying an upper cam block 44. This cam block is mounted on a carrier plate 40U like the lower one and can slide radially toward and away from the cylinder. The plate 4IIU is screwed on top of another spur gear ring 39 turning on a block sitting in the upper bedplate.

When the countershaft 33 turns clockwise as viewed from the right side of the machine (Fig. 13), the lower cam block 4| turns counterclockwise as viewed from above, but the upper cam block 44 turns clockwise. To drive the upper block in this manner there is an operative connection from the lower spur gear 39 comprising the following elements. Meshing with the lower spur gear 39 is a gear wheel 45 tight on a vertical shaft 45 extending upwardly to a point beside the upper bedplate 43 (Figs. 3 and 36).

with an idler gear wheel 48 which in turn drives the upper spur gear ring 39 in a direction opposite to the lower spur gear ring. v

The needle cylinder 38 has the usual open radial slots 49 running longitudinally on its periphery and in these slots are located the usual needles 50. These needles may have extensions or tails which carry the necessary operating butts, but preferably the operating butts are on attached jacks 5|, as shown in Figs. 26 and 27. The upper end of each jack may be provided with a hook or. pocket adapted to accommodate a complementary projection upon the lower end of its needle whereupon the jacks may be employed for imparting both an upward as well as a downward movement to the needles. In the drawings there is an upper operating butt 52 and a lower operating butt 53-0ne for each cam block. In any case each needle customarily has a plurality of operating butts associated with it. There is a group of needles in the cylinder for each stocking blank to be knit and there is a gap or space between the ends of the groups. In the example shown in the drawings there are two groups of needles.

The knitting cam blocks 4|, 44 are of identical construction but arranged in a reverse manner so as to engage their associated needle butts whilst moving in opposite directions. Each cam block may include the cams necessary to'produce a knitting wave and arranged so as to form an open-ended cam groove therebetween which is adapted to accommodate the butts of the needles or needle jacks. In addition, each cam block may include means for effecting radial movement of its cams in relation to the needle cylinder, whereby the aforesaid cam groove may be adapted to operate needle butts of different lengths selectively. This manipulation is used in the manufacture of heel tabs, as will be described later. The movement can be controlled from the main pattern drum of the machine (not shown) by any convenient system of cams and levers which can place 9. lug I99 or striker for star wheel 54 in the path of the rear end of the cam block. This lug or striker when pushed radially inward will operate a star wheel 54 on the carrier plate 48 opposite the cam block (see Figs. 7 and 8). On a pin 55 projecting upwardly through the cam block and carrying the star wheel 54 is a cam wheel with alternate high On the upper end of the shaft 45 is a wheel 41 meshing and low levels. These surfaces engage in turn against a small upstanding lug 51 on the cam block radially outside the pin 55:' There are springs 58 tending to pull the cam block radially 5). Each of these yam carriers performs oscillating movements with relation to one group of needles, i. e., there is a separate yarn carrier for each stocking blank. Each yarn carrier has one or more yarn fingers 88 and a support 84 therefor mounted on one of the aforesaid circumferential rings.

In the embodiment shown, in the drawings the oscillating movement of the yarn carrier is obtained from the countershaft 33 by means of a heart-shaped cam 58. On the countershaft 38 is a small pinion 58 meshing with a larger gear GI which in turn engages a small pinion 62 revolving one to one with the countershaft 33 and cam blocks H, 44 (see Fig. 14). This second pinion 82 turns a shaft 63 carrying the heartshaped cam 59. This heart-shaped cam is a double path cam and moves a roller 64 on one arm of a bell crank lever 55 (see Fig. 17). The end of the other arm of the lever is a gear segment or quadrant 86 meshing with a pinion 6'I turning freely on the countershaft 33. Attached to oneside of this free pinion is a bevel gear wheel 58 which also meshes with a bevel pinion 59 on the lower end of a vertical drive shaft I9 (see Fig. 16). through the main bedplate 25 to the level of the rings II, I2 which carry the yarn carriers 13, I4.

On the upper end of this vertical yarn finger drive shaft 18 is a horizontal gear I6 which acting through an opening in the circumference of the guideway I5, meshes with teeth I1 on the periphery of the outer yarn carrier ring II (see Fig. 5). Just below this gear I5 on the shaft I8 is a bevel gear 18 meshing with a bevel pinion wheel I9 on a short shaft 89 extending under the outer ring II, through bevel gear 8I onto'teeth 82 on the inner ring I2 and driving same in a direction reverse to that of the outer ring. Each carrier oscillates over the full width of its group of needles in a direction opposite to that of the other carrier.

On the top of the needle cylinder 38 is any usual form of outside sinker ring I44, the sinkers 85 moving radially in slots in the outside ring and the inside sinker ring 85. To actuate the, sinkers of each bank of needles there is a movable carn plate 81 guided by a sinker cap I42 and driven by a pin 88 upstanding from the cam plate through a'slot in the cap. Thispin is actuated by its yarn carrier. In view of the fact that the sinker cams must lag behind the yarn finger first on one side and then, on the return movement of the carrier, on the other, the driving pin 88 takes into a slot in the yarn carrier I3 or I4 so that the cam changes position automatica ly when the carrier starts in a new direction.

It will be observed that with this machine the fabrics produced have selvage edges down each side of the blank. If necessary any of the usual This shaft extends upwardly precautions to avoid tight stitches at the selvage can be taken, such for instance as laying the yarn around the last needle but not knitting thereon by means of picker manipulation.

In making heel tabs, it is necessary to make one heel tab on one end of a bank of needles To raise a fin er pressure is applied justbelow the pivot point by a slide 89 horizontally mounted in the carrier, there being two slides in each carrier, one for each finger. These slides are actuated in alternation by a pair of rotating cam wheels 90 mounted on a vertical pin 9| extending downward through the carrier. On the lower end of this pin is a two-stud trip lever 92. A stationary lug 93 on the guideway at each side of the machine protrudes into the path of the stud or arms of each lever 92. When a carrier oscillates in one direction its lug 93' turns its lever 92 in one direction, and on a swing of the carrier in the other direction the lug hits the other arm of the lever 92 and turns the pin 9| in the-other direction. These oscillatory movements of the pin .move the cam wheels enough to actuate the slides and fingers in alternation. The lug is so located that the changes occur while the fingers are midway between the heel tabs. The lug can be moved into and out of operative position by lever connections 94, 95 from the main pattern drum. An inoperative position can be obtained by a mere raising of the lug above the level-of the trip lever 92.

In combination with the foregoing, the improved machine includes means for fashioning the hosiery or other fabric being produced, said fashioning means being adapted to reduce the effective number of needles employed at the selvage edges of the fabric and a panel similar to the panel present in the fabric produced upon a fiat or straight type of full fashioned machine is formed in the hose or the like, as hereinafter described. Said fashioning means include stitch transferring mechanism incorporating a second clutch device.

Mounted upon the bedplate adjacent to each side of the needle cylinder is a fashion cam shaft 96 which is operable from the main driving shaft and adapted to cooperate, for instance, with a plurality of cams, links and levers to actuate the improved fashioning mechanism hereinafter described. The second clutch device may be mounted on this fashion cam shaft. This clutch 9'! drives the fashion cam shaft. The two shafts 96 are connected by two pairs of bevel gears 98 and a cross shaft 99 at the back of the machine (Fig. 4').

The driving connection between the countershaft 33 and the first fashion cam shaft 96 is shown in Figs. 13, 15 and 16 and comprises a bevel gear iii! on the side of the driven gear 32 on the countershaft which meshes with a bevel pinion I02. This latter pinion is on the lower end of a vertical shaft ")3 supported on the main bedplate 25. On the upper end of this shaft is another bevel pinion Hi4 meshing with a bevel gear IBE-mounted on one end of a short horizontal shaft also carried by the bedplate. On

the other end of this horizontal shaft is a small gear wheel I06 meshing with a larger gear wheel I01 turning freely on the adjacent fashion cam shaft 96. The free member of the fashion cam shaft clutch 91 is fixed to this large gear wheel I01 while the other clutch member is slidably keyed on the shaft.

In order to operate this clutch in proper timed relation to the main or knitting clutch, the two are linked together as follows. The necessary longitudinal movement of the keyed member of the fashion clutch is obtained from a horizontal lever I08 pivoted on the housing of the shaft carrying the gears I05 and N16. The other end of the lever E08 is linked to one arm I09 of a three-arm bell crank lever pivoted. at the juncture of the arms. Actually, in the embodiment shown in the drawings, the lever I09 is above the other two arms and is mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft Hi. This shaft is carried by the main frame 26. A second arm ill] of the bell crank is lower down on the shaft and. has a jaw taking into the sliding or keyed member of the main or knitting clutch, while the third arm H2 actuates the other two arms. ,The end of this operating arm carries a roller lying in a cam path i l3 of a shipper drum I M which is racked around by a rack wheel I I5 controlled from the main pattern chain (not shown). The parts are so adjusted that one clutch is always in engagement, the two clutches Working in alternation.

Means are provided for preselecting a section of each bank of needles employed in forming the fabrics and manipulating such plurality of needles in unison to transfer the needle loops 200 to other needles for the purpose of fashioning the fabric and producing the panel as aforesaid. A section at each end of each bank is thus treated. Thus the machine in the drawings has four jaw units (see Fig. 3). Said needle selecting mechanism may include one or more jaw units lllllR, IOOL, each comprising a pair of pivoted jaws I IS, H8 or I H, I I8 adapted to be operated by linkage engaging one or more cams on the fashion cam shafts 96.

Each of the aforesaid jaw units is universally butts when the jaw is depressed (Fig. 29) so that,

during bodily movement of the jaw unit in a direction circumferentially of the needle cylinder, the extension or lug engages the next adjacent needle-butt of the remaining needles or jacks in the bank, and thus retards further movement of the upper jaw whilst the lower jaw continues to move beyond the end of the upper jaw (Figs. 31and 32). By virtue of this pushing aside of the upper jaw a portion of the lower jaw is thus automatically positioned beneath one or more predetermined needles of the remaining needles in the bank. Whilst the associated upper and lower jaws occupy these particular relative positions, an upward movement is imparted to the jaw unit whereupon the aforesaid predetermined needles are engaged by the end of the lower jaw and a corresponding number of needles released at the opposite end of the jaw unit, namely, at the selvage edge. pontinued upward movement of the jaw unit causes the upper jaw to clear the adjacent needle butts, whereupon the spring its functions to return the upper jaw to its original position automatically. The jaw unit now has hold of a new selection of needle jacksit has been shogged.

In order to perform all their functions, each jaw unit must swing counterclockwise and clockwise and. up and down and also be able to move radially toward and from the needle cylinder. The mounting comprises a block iii on the upper bedplate carrying a dovetail-shaped horizontal slot in which a slide 822 is adapted to move circumferentially. This allows the counterclockwise and clockwise movements of the jaw unit. 0n the upper edge of the slide is a hollow. block i233 through which the arm 11261 of the jaw unit slides. The sides of the hollow block are slotted at 625 and those holes carry a pin E which goes through the arm. These slots are spaced from the bottom of the hollow portion and the arm can be swung up and down. Because of the slots m5 the arm can be moved toward and away from the cylinder-to get it into and out of operative position.

All the movements of the'jawunits are ob= tained from the fashion cam shafts 95. I will describe the operative connections for the unit at the right front of the machine. Mounted on the fashion cam shaft is a double track cam wheel 921 with a cam lever ltd pivoted on a rock shaft Q29 and carrying a roller resting on the cam wheel. The free end of the cam lever is connected by a link let to a bell crank Iii piv= oted on the guideway F5. The free end of the bell crank surrounds a lateral extension of the pin lift of the jaw unit but allows circumferential movement of the pin with the jaw unit. Rotation of the fashion cam shaft causes the rocking of the bell crank and therefore radial movement of the pin and jaw unit. The up and down movement of the jaw unit is obtained from a double track cam wheel I 32 on the fashion cam shaft. This wheel has a cam lever i33 pivoted on therock shaft 029 with the usual roller. The free end of this cam lever is connected to the lower end of a vertical slide 636 carried in a slide block i335 on the main bedplate. The upper end of this slide is shaped to form a horizontal saddle ltd which surrounds the outer end of the jaw arm 826. This saddle allows for the circumferential movement of the jaw unit. Rotation of the cam shaft causes the slide I34 to move up and down carrying the jaw arm with it, upward movement of the slide lowering the operative end of the jaw unit.

The circumferential movement of the jaws is obtained as follows. Mounted on the under side of the upper bedplate 33 are two large disks I13, are, one below the other (Figs. l and 4). A

\ bracket M3 is attached to the upper disk I13 and it extends upwards and outwards around the bedplate and is connected to the slide I22. 0n the periphery of this upper disk at the back of the machine is a toothed segment I31. Acting upon this toothed segment is a racking pawl I38 attached pivotally to a cam lever H39 vertically mounted on the main bedplate. This cam lever carries a roller bearing against a cam wheel Illl on the fashion cam shaft. The cam lever is held against the cam wheel by a tension spring Ill. Rotation of the fashion cam shaft causes the racking pawl to rack the upper ring one tooth counterclockwise, carrying the jaw unit with it towards the center of its bank of needles. This movement may be over one or more needles. In the drawings I have shown it equal to two needles. In a two-blank machine the jaw unit diametrically opposite on the other bank of needles is' also connected to the upper ring. The ring movement described therefore also moves that jaw unit toward the center of its own needle bank. The other two jaw units are similarly mounted on the lower ring: this ring receiving its circumferential movement in a like manner but in a clockwise direction. At the completion of the blanks, these units can be returned to their original position by any suitable similar racking mechanism.

Cooperating with the needle selecting mechanism is a series of transfer points which may be of known type and of substantially inverted U shape in horizontal cross-section, said transfer points being mounted upon the supporting frame and adapted to be moved towards and away from the needles by any suitable means, such as a system of links and levers operatively connected to the cams on the fashion cam shaft. The U-shaped transfer point above referred to is more particularly suited for a bearded needle machine. For a latch needle machine I prefer to use a split point composed of two spring blades for each point, the hook of the needle passing between the two blades.

In order to perform all its necessary functions, the transfer comb M5 or points must be able to move up and down, circumferentially and radially to and from the needles. In the drawings the controls are shown in Figs. 10, ll, 12, 25, l and 2. The combs are mounted above the needle cylinder on two pairs of comb-carrying arms M5, itl which are carried on a stationary spindle Md. This in turn is supported by a bracket its on the upper ends of the posts 62. The narrowing points I hang vertically above the needles. In a similar manner tothe jaw mountings. the two diametrically opposed combs are mounted on an. upper pair of arms M6 and the other two on a lower pair of arms M1. These are revoluble on the spindle ltd. The points are conveniently carried in a slotted block i5l, each pair of blades being the same distance apart as the needles. The block is mounted on a horizontal pivot 952 resting in a vertical slide B53 in the end of each arm, which is formed as a vertical guide, said slide being carried on the ring. The front right comb is on one of the upper arms t lt. There is a jaw unit for each comb.

The movements of the comb are all obtained from the fashion cam shaft. Mounted on this shaft is a cam wheel I50. A 'cam lever I55 for held up by spring IBI on the arm I51. This pivoted member reaches into the horizontal saddle I 62. The horizontal arm and the pivoted member grip the saddle I62 between them and control the vertical movement of the slide I53 and comb I45. Rotation of the fashion cam shaft through its linkage I55, I56. I51 causes vertical movements of the saddle I62 and its points I50.

The radial movement of the. comb comes from a cam wheel 564 on the shaft 96 and cam lever I65. The free end of the cam lever I65 is connected by a link I66 to an arm I61 pivoted on a bracket I68 on the horizontal bar I96 carried by the posts 42. On the upper end of the spindle is a four-arm bracket carrying guidesiifl. Each guide contains a vertical slide I69 attached at its upper end to the pivoted arm I61. The lower end of this slide carries a cross member I10 resting against which is a thrust bar I'll vertically mounted on the upper end of the transfer point block I5I. This thrust bar is held in contact with the cross member by a spring (not shown). The thrust bars being mounted on the blecks I5I are shogged with their combs and therefore move circumferentially with relation to the cross members I10. (The direction of movement of the combs when narrowing is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.) Owing to the contour of the thrust barpany vertical movement of the point block I5I er the slide I69 alone will cause the point block to be rocked on the pivot I52. This rocking motion imparts the radial movement of the points to and from the needles. If the comb and cross member move vertically in unison, no radial movement is imparted to the points. The rotation of the fashion cam shaft 96 causes the rock lever I65 through its link I 66- to turn the inner end'of the pivoted arm I61 downwardly and also the vertical slide I69 and its cross member I10 (see Fig. 10). In the absence of a rocking motion imparted by relative movement between the slide I69 and the thrust bar I1 I a tension spring 205 between the horizontal arm I51 and the slotted block I5I keeps the' points in vertical position. i 7 if Mounted on each of the comb-carrying arms I46, I41 is an arm I which contacts with a slide I16 at the r ar of the machine. Both slides are mounted in a horizontally dove-tailed block I11 (Figs. 4 and On each slide is mounted a toothed segment I18 which .is acted upon by opposed racking pawls I19. The racking pawls are connected to the free ends offcam levers I82 vertically mounted on the bedplate. This cam lever is operated by a cam I83 on the fashion cam shaft 96. The circumferential travel of the blocks I 16 and toothed segments I18 is limited by stops 206, 201 on the circumference of the upper guideway 15. The lever I82 carries a roller and a tension spring I84 as in the case' of the levers I55 and I65, and rotatiorj of the cam shaft 96 causes the cam lever I82 to move the sliding block through its racking pawl I19. The sliding block carries the arm I15 circumferentially and" so shogs the points. For the purpose of accurately locating the points above the needles, there is a micrometer adjusting screw 202 molfiited on the end of thearm' I15 which contacts the upper block I16 (Figs. 2 and 4). A tension spring 203 keeps thesmicrometer screw and block in contact. Therelis a similar device for the lower arm I151 Rotation of the fashion cam shafts results in descent, namely, an idle or non-knitting position (Fig. 29).

At this juncture, the needle selecting mechanism, namely, the jaw units, have a movement circumferentially of the neede cylinder imparted thereto, whilst in addition relative endwise movement occurs between ,the upper and lower jaws of each unit, thereby disengaging the jaws from one or more needles at the end of the bank, name- 131, at the selvage edge, and positioning upon the projecting portion of the lower jaw, a corresponding number of adjacent fheedles in the bank (Figs. 31, 32); The selvage edge needles disengaged from the jaws are in non-knitting position (Fig. 29). Whilst this movement of the jaws is taking place, the transfer points receive-a lateral movement sufiicient to position them clear if of the needle heads (Fig.

A circumferential movement similar "to that {given to; the jaw units is now imparted to the transfer points carrying the stitches, whereby they are positioned above the needle under which the lower jaw is already located.

The jaws are now adapted to raise the new series of preseleie ted needles to a position preparatory to having the stitches returned to them from the transfer points. When in this position the needle heads are located immediately under the stitches held by the points (Fig. 33). The latter receive a return lateral movement for the purpose of effecting a reengagement between the points and the needle heads. Tha -transfer points descend for a relatively short distance and the needles ascend for a similar distance, thereby transferring the stitches back to the needles. A slight lateral movement is then imparted to the transfer points for the purpose of 'moving them towards the centre of the needle cylinder, thus exposing the needle heads so that further upward movement of the points effects the release of the stitches from the points onto the needles (Figs. 34, 35). The transfer points are then returned to their original position.

Each of the jaw units is now retracted clear of its associated gneedle butts, the fashion cam shaft declutched and the main clutch engaged, whereupon the normal knitting operations are resumed.

In order that loops may be removed from needles or returned during narrowing it is necessary to withdraw the nibs of tile sinkers 85 This also can be accomplished froin the fashion cam shaft. One means of carrying this out would be to have depending biitts I86 on the outer ends of sinkers in the fashioning area. In the drawings a ring I81 is placed underneath the sinkers to which ring are attached cams I88 adapted tcjre-' tract sinkers having depending tails (Figf 5). When not fashioning, these cams lie the spaces between the banks of needles and the center non-fashioning areas. When fashioning, the ring carrying the cams the cams retract the appropriate sinkers. When the fashioning is over, the ring is moved back turned circumferentially till I and the regular sinker operating cams take control of the sinkers again to return them to their inward position. For this purpose there is another cam wheel its on the fashion cam shaft, a' vertical bent cam lever I90 and tension spring 89! which is connected to a bell crank lever M2 through a link M3, the bell crank lever being pivoted on the guideway i5 for the yarn carrier rings (Figs. 2, 4i and 25) The free end of the bell crank lever is connected by a link i94 to the cam ring it'll. An alternative method would be to introduce a cam on thesinker cam plate into the path of the sinker butts at the rear of the sinker wave, so that as the course prior to a fashioning operation is being knitted, this cam will sweep all sinkers outwardly to free the nibs of loops and leave them well clear of the needles. The continued knitting operation returns the sinkers to their inward position.

The usual spring takeup mechanism is provided to take up the slack yarn, when the yarn carriers change their direction of rotation.

During the fashioning operation a predetermined number of stitches such as fifteen, more or less, have been removed from their respective needles and moved circumferentially say two needles, so that the sixteenth and seventeenth needles, not having had their stitches removed, have an extra stitch placed thereon when the transfer points return the stitches to the needles. This doubling of stitches at regular intervals introduces a distinct series of marks in the fabric, into which some of the wales outside the said series of marks converge at an angle, whilst all wales inside said marks remain vertical, thus producing a panel effect as aforesaid.

This method of transferring stitches may be repeated in accordance with requirements by suitably adjusting the aforesaid control mechanism so that by this arrangement a panel efiected at the back of a stocking for example is produced, which is identical with the panel produced upon the known type of straight or flat knitting machines, as aforesaid. I

The heel tabs are made as usual between the knitting of the leg and foot. The operating butts of the needle jacks corresponding to the instep needles or of the instep needles are short, whilst those corresponding to the heel tabs are long. The cam blocks are withdrawn part way till they operate only the long butt jacks for the heel tab needles. As' the yarn fingers move from one heel tab to the other in the above-mentioned reciprocatory manner, the two yarn fingers are alternated so that one yarn finger feeds .to one tab and the other finger to the other tab. Takeups control the surplus yarn. After the heel tabs are knit, the alternation of the yarn fingers is stopped and the cam blocks move into contact with the short butt needle jacks, and the foot is knit. The toe can be narrowed in the same general manner as the leg.

It will be evident that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the aforesaid construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scape of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A circular machine for knitting one or more fashioned blanks, .said machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, independent needles therein arranged in one or more groups, operating butts at two levels for said needles, a reciprocating yarn carrier for each needle group and cams rotating in opposite directions adapted to act on the butts at diflferent levels to cause the needles'to knit in succession, in combination with narrowing mechanism and means adapted to stop the efiective operation of the two cams while the narrowing mechanism is in action.

2. A circular knitting machine for knitting one or more fashioned blanks having selvage edges, said machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, independent needles therein arranged in one or more groups, jack means associated with the needles for operating same and provided with butts at two levels, and two cams rotating in opposite directions operating on the butts at different levels, in combination with narrowing mechanism and means adapted to stop the effective operation of the two cams while the narrowing mechanism is in action.

3. A circular machine for knitting one or more stocking blanks, said machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, independent needles therein arranged in one or more groups, operating butts at two levels for each of said needles, a reciprocating yarn carrier for each needle group and cams rotating in opposite directions acting on the butts at different levels, each causing all the needles to knit in succession, in combination with means adapted to narrow the blanks by operation of a plurality of points in unison.

d. A circular knitting machine for knitting one or more stocking blanks having selvage edges, said machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, needles therein arranged in one or more groups, there being a space between the ends of the group or groups, and means associated with the needles and providing operating butts at two levels, in combination with two knitting cam blocks rotating in opposite directions operating on the jack butts at different levels and so timed as to pass each other at the space between the ends of the needle group or groups, narrowing mechanism for said needles and means adapted to stop the knitting operation of the cam blocks while the machine is transferring loops for narrowing.

5. A circular machine for knitting one or more stocking blanks having selvage edges, said machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, independent needles therein arranged in one or more groups whose ends are spaced from each other, multiple operating butts associated with said needles, and cam blocks each acting successively on the operating butts at its own level in the opposite direction to the other, in combination with narrowing mechanism for the needles in each group adapted to cause narrowing over one needle on a plurality of needles simultaneously.

6. A circular machine for knitting a plurality of stocking blanks having selvage edges, said machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, independent needles therein arranged in a plu rality of groups spaced from each other, multiple operating butts associated with each needle and two cam blocks rotating in opposite directions at different levels each adapted to cause all the needles to knit in succession, in combination with narrowing mechanism for each group of needles adapted to manipulate a plurality of needles in unison for transferring stitches and means to halt the effective operation of the cam blocks during the narrowing operation.

7. A circular machine for knitting a plurality of full fashioned stocking leg blanks, said machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder,

H rality of groups spaced from each other, jacksfor' independent needles arranged therein in a plurality of groups spaced from each other, operating butts at two levels for each of said needles, cams rotating in opposite directions and acting on the butts at diiierent levels, each adapted to cause all the needles to knit in succession, and

a reciprocatory yarn carrier for each needle group, in combination with unitary cam means adapted to throw the narrowing mechanism and the knitting cams into andout of eflective operation in repeated alternation.

8. A circular machine for knitting a plurality of stocking blanks including heel tabs, comprising a stationary needle cylinder, independent needles therein arranged in a plurality of groups spaced from each other, operating butts at two levels for said needles, a reciprocatingyarn carrier for each needle group, and cams rotating in opposite directions acting on the butts at different levels, each adapted to cause all the needles to knit in succession, in combination with a plurality of yarn fingers in each carrier, means adapted to change yarn fingers at each Oscillation, and means adapted to retract the knitting cams out of the path of the short operating butts, said short butts being associated with the portion of the stocking blanks between the heel tabs.

9. A circular machine for knitting a plurality of stocking blanks having selvage edges, said machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder,"

independent needles therein arranged in a pluoperating said needles each' having two or more operating butts, and cam blocks rotating in opposite directions each acting successively on the operating 'butts at its own level, in combination with narrowing mechanism for the needles in each group having a unitary member adapted to manipulate a plurality of needles en masse for the purpose of transferring stitches.

10. A circular machinefor knitting a plurality of stocking blanks having selvage edges, said machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, independent needles therein arranged in a plurality of groups spaced from each other, multiple operating butts associated with each needle and two" cam blocks rotating in'oppOsite directions at difierent levels each adapted to cause all the needles to knit in succession, in combination with a plurality of narrowing jaw units each adapted to manipulate a plurality of needles in unison for a narrowing operation.

11. A circular knitting machine for knitting a plurality of stocking blanks .having selvageedges, said machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, independent needles therein arranged in a plurality of groups spaced from each other,

multiple operating butts associated with each needle and two cam blocks rotating in opposite directions at different levels each adapted to cause all the needles to knit in succession, in combination with narrowing mechanism for each group of needles adapted to manipulate a pluralneedles to knit in succession, in combination with a plurality of narrowing jaw units each adapted to manipulate a plurality of needles in unison for a narrowing operation, eachiaw unit comprising a lower jaw and an upper jaw being laterally pivoted and spring-pressed so that the lower jaw can move in under a butt before the upper jaw is above it to enable the jaw to measure and take a new group of needles automatically at each narrowing operation.

13. In a method of manipulating an independent needle stationary cylinder circular knitting machine to make flat stocking blanks where the needles are arranged in a plurality of spaced groups each corresponding to one blank, the steps of knitting on all the needles in succession by means of a cam block rotating in one direction and simultaneously knitting on all the needles in succession in the other direction by means of another cam block rotating at another level, the

two blocks passingin a space between the needle groups, and-subsequently halting the blocks at such a space while manipulating a plurality of adjacent needles in unison to produce narrowing.

14. In a method of manipulating an independent needle stationary cylinder circular knitting machine to make flat stocking blanks where the needles are arranged in a plurality of spaced groups each corresponding to one blank, the steps of knitting on all the needles in succession by means of a cam block rotating in one direction and simultaneously knitting on all theneedles in succession in the other direction by means of another cam block rotating at another level, the two blocks passing-in a space between the needle groups, therebeing a reciprocatory yarn feed for each blank, said two cam blocks being driven from a single clutch, and subsequently halting the cam blocks in such space by opening the clutch, and simultaneously engaging another clutch to manipulate a plurality of adjacent needles and points in unison to produce narrowing of a plurality of loops.

15. A circular machine for knitting a plurality of stocking blanks having selvage edges, said machine comprising a stationary needle cylinder, independent needles therein arranged in a plurality of groups spaced from each other, multiple operating butts associated with each needle and two cam blocks rotating in opposite directions at different levels each adapted to cause all the needles to knit in succession, a plurality of units each adapted to move a plurality "of knitting elements. vertically in unison for a narrowing operation, each unit having two jaws adapted to lie above and below butts on the knitting elements, the upper jaw being laterally pivoted and spring-pressed whereby the unit can depress a group of knitting elements to idle position, move laterally and rise leaving part of the group in idle position and tak ng butts of one or more additional elements at a higher level intothe unit, and means to halt the cam blocks in the'spaces between the needle groups during the narrowing operation. 16.;In a method of manipulating an independent needle stationary cylinder circular knitting machine to make fiat stocking blanks where the needles are arranged in a plurality of spaced groups each corresponding to one blank, the steps of knitting on all the needles in succession by means of a cam block rotating in one direction and simultaneously knitting on all the needles in succession in the other direction by means of another cam block rotating at another level, the two blocks passing in a space between the needle groups, while reciprocating separate yarn guides for each group of needles and halting the blocks at such a space and lowering a group of needles to idle position by means of jaws above and below butts for said needles, moving laterally the jaw below the butts to a position below a difierent group of butts, raising the jaws to the level of adjacent butts and then moving the upper jaw latterally into register with the lower Jaw and subsequently resuming knitting.

. ARTHUR PASS. 

